Printing-press.



W. J. RAMSAIER.

PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-20, 1915.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. I. RAMSMER.

PRINTING mss.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-20, 1915.

Patent/ed Oct. 26, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

r J//' J/ 1 j m p UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. 'RAMSA'IER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PRINTING-PRESS.

Application filed January 20, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J RAMSAIER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Presses, of which the foilowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of printing presses in which the type or printing surface is held on a bed and the printing platen is carried by a rocking bridge. The inking rollers are mounted 111 a carriage which is norma iiy at the top of the type bed and is moved down across the face of the printing surfaceand back to its normal position while the bridge and the printing platen are moved away from the type bed. This type of press is generally known as the universal platen printing press. The invention is applicable to any form of press with a rocker bridge and aprinting platen carried thereby.

One of the main objects of this invention is to provide means whereby the inking roller carriage will be actuated from the platen carrying bridge or the mechanism directly connected to eperats ng therewith.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the inking roller carriage actuating mechanism may be disco-nnected from the platen carrying bridge, or the bridge operating mechanism, to permit the bridge moving mechanism to be operated without moving the said carr-i age. This is frequently desirable in opera-ting presses of this type in order that the proper re'lhtions of the operating parts may be preserved without inking the type or printing surface on the printing bed, and also in order that the proper distribution of ink may be scoured over the inking rollers before the said rollers are passed over the printing surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide meanswhereby when the inking roller carriage is out of operation the supply roll in the ink fountain will not be rotated. This is important in orderthat ink will not be supplied to the distributing rollers of the inking mechanism when the ink is not being distributed over the printing surface.

There are other important objects and advantages of the invention which will be particularly described hereinafter.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

SerialNo. 3,202.

sectional view of the press, a portion thereof being shown in side elevation; Fig. 2 a horizontal sectional view takenon the line I'III of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a rear elevation of the lower part of the press, a portion of one side frame being broken away to more clearly show the construction and arrangement of several parts; Fig. 4 a detail vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line TVIV of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 a detail plan view of the connection between the platen carrying bridge and the link for moving it.

Referring to the various parts by numera ls, l designates the main driving shaft which may be rotated in any suitable manner and from any suitable source of power. On this shaft is secured the cam 2 which operates the ink distributing means, and also carries a crank pin 3. On this pin is mounted the rear end of a forwardly extending bridge operating link 4. On the other end of the main driving shaft is mounted the usual main driving gear, not shown, which carries a pin similar to pin 3, and to said pin is connected a second link 4, shown in Fig. 1, the two links serving to move the platen carrying bridge 5, as will be hereinafter described.

The platen carrying bridge is formed with the curved rockers 6' which bear on horizontal tracks 7 located in the forward upper part of the machine frame. The bridge is formed with forwardly and downwardly extending side plates 8 which carry at their forward ends inwardly extending lugs 9, said l ugs being adapted to engage and slide on the tracks 7 when the" bridge is completing its inward printing movement, as will be hereinafter described. The printing platen 1%) is supported at the inner side of the bridge and is adapted to be brought in close proximity to the forward face of the type bed 11 as shown clearly in Fig. 1 when the bridge is at the end of: its inward movement. While the lugs 9 are in engagement with the tracks 7, the bridge and the platen carried thereby have a direct horizontal movement, the rockersG and the lugs 9 sliding on the tracks 7 duringt'his short horizontal inward and outward movement of the bridge. The bridge is guided in its rocking movement by a properly shaped cam guide which is well known in this class of presses and need not be shown in the drawing or more fully described herein. As soon as the lugs 9 are free of the tracks the bridge is rocked forwardly and downwardly, bringing the printing platen to an inclined position to permit the removal. of the printed sheet and the proper adjustment of the sheet to be printed.

To the under side of the bridge are secured downwardly extending brackets 12 in which is mounted a horizontal rock shaft 13. This shaft is formed with eccentrics 14 which fit in sleeves 15. To each of these sleeves is connected a downwardly extending connect ing rod 16, the lower ends of said rods being connected to upwardly extending arms 17 which are rigidly connected together by a cross bar 18 and are mounted to rotate on a cross shaft 19. The rods 16 are adjustably connected at their ends to the sleeves 15 and to the arms 17 so that they may be adjusted lengthwise to secure the proper relation of these parts. The shaft 19 is rigidly secured in the lower inner ends of crank arms 20 which are rigidly secured to a sleeve 21 mounted to turn on a rigid stud 22. Rigidly secured to the said sleeve 21 are two upwardly extending crank arms 23 and connecting said arms together is a horizontal pin 24. It is manifest that as the bridge is moved through the links 4 the rods 16 will be raised and lowered and the arms 20 and 23 will move therewith. The rods 16 are so connected to the bridge and to the crank arms 20 that as the bridge travels horizontally when completing its inward movement the upper ends of said rods will be carried inwardly slightly beyond a direct Vertical line. The result of this is that when the bridge has completed its inward move ment the said rods will have been raised very slightly with a consequent very slight upward movement of the crank arms 20 and 23. The purpose and object of this very slight movement will be hereinafter described.

Mounted in the rear of the machine is a horizontal rock shaft 25 and rigidly secured to this shaft near each end thereof is a pair of crank arms, one of which, 26, extends upwardly and forwardly and the other, 27, extends downwardly and rearwardly. The arms 26 and 27 are connected together on the forward side of the rock shaft 25 by a heavy counterbalancing weight 28. The arms 27 are connected together by a horizontal pin 29 and the arms 26 are connected together by a horizontal pin 30. The pin 29 carries a roller sleeve 31 as shown in Fig. 1. Mounted loosely on the pin 24 of the crank arms 23 is a rearwardly extending operating bar 32 which is formed at its rear end with a hook 33 adapted to engage the sleeve 31 to connect the crank arms 23 to the arms 27. The hook 33 is formed with a curved under surface 34 which is adapted to ride on the sleeve 31 when the hook is raised and disconnected from said sleeve! The inking roller carriage is operated through connections to the crank arms 26, and when it is desired to operate the bridge without moving the said carriage the hook 33 is raised and disconnected from the sleeve 31. In order to conveniently raise this hook I provide a bell crank lever 35 one arm of which carries a pin and roller 36 which engages the curved surface 34 of the hook 33. The other arm of the lever 35 is connected to a forwardly and upwardly extending rod 37 which is provided with a handle 38 at the front of the machine so that by drawing said rod forward the hook 33 will be freed from the sleeve 31 and in the subsequent operation of the bridge the curved part 34 of the hook willride over the sleeve 31. The rod 37 may be locked in its forward position by means of a lug 39 thereon adapted to engage any suitable slot in the frame of the machine, or it may be locked in its forward position in any other suitable manner. 7

The inking roller carriage 40 is mounted to travel vertically in the guide ways 41 on the sides of the printing bed, in the usual manner. This carriage supports the three inking rollers 42 which, when the carriage is at the upper end of its movement and is above the printing bed, contact with the inking drum or fountain cylinder 43. Connected to the lower end of the carriage are the usual operating links 44, the lower ends of said links being connected to the inner upper ends of the carriage operating crank arms 45. The lower rear ends of these arms are rigidly secured to a rock shaft 46. Mounted on this shaft between the sides of the machine frame are depending crank arms 47 the lower ends of which are connected to an inwardly extending, substantially horizontal link 48. This link 48 is connected to the cross pin 30 of the crank arms 26. It is manifest that when the operating bar 32 is drawn forward through the movement of the bridge the crank arms 26 will be thrown upwardly thereby drawing downwardly the inking carriage operating arm 45 and moving the said carriage across the face of the printing bed. The return movement of the operating bar 32 will reverse the motion of these parts and return the inking carriage to its upper position. The weight 28 serves as a counterbalance for the inking carriage and as said weight and the carriage always move in opposite directions they counterbalance each other and relieve the bridge operating mechanism of the strain of the weight of the carriage and other moving parts.

The trunnions 49 of the bridge are mounted in eccentric sleeves 50, said sleeves fitting in and being carried by the forward ends of the links 4. Connected to these eccentric sleeves are the arms of the throw ofl' yoke 51. The purpose of this arrangement is to permit the bridge and the printing platen to be thrown forwardly slightly so that there will be no printing operation during the movement of the bridge and the platen, the platen being withdrawn sufficiently to prevent it pressing the paper against the printing surface. The eccentric sleeves are so mounted in the ends of the links that when the yoke 51 is thrown forwardly and downwardly the bridge is moved forwardly a short distance. This is the usual construction in this type of press. In order that this throw-off movement of the bridge shall not vary the operative relations between the bridge and the rods 16 and related parts the rock shaft 13 is provided with upwardly extending arms 52, the upper ends of said arms being connected to a cross rod 53. Depending from the eccentric sleeves are crank arms 5%; and the lower ends of these arms are connected by a link 55 with the cross rod The eccentrics 14 on rock shaft 13 are so proportioned and arranged with respect to the eccentric sleeves 50 that when said eccentric sleeves are rotated through the throw-off yoke the rock shaft 13 will be rotated sufficiently to compensate for the changed position of the bridge so that the operative relation of the bridge to the crank 20 will not be changed. It will be readily understood that as the bridge is shifted outwardly through the throw-off mechanism the distance between the shaft 19 and the center of the rock shaft 13 will be increased slightly, and if there is not a corresponding lowering of the rod 16 there will be a tendency to lift the shaft 19 and the desired nice adjustment of the operating parts will be disturbed. \Vithout this compensating mechanism the crank 20 will be in a position to instantly start the inking carriage moving mechanism when the bridge starts its forward movement. The result of this will be a quick jerking of the carriage moving mechanism which is undesirable. By providing the eccentrics H to maintain the desired adjustment of parts the inking carriage moving means will be properly timed in its movement and will be started under the proper conditions both when printing impressions are being made and when the throw-off mechanism has been operated and no impressions are being made.

The fountain cylinder, or inking drum receives ink from the forward ductor roller 56 which is operated in the usual manner by means of the cam 2. This ductor roller receives its ink from the supply roll 57 mounted in the ink fountain 58. The supply roll is intermittently rotated by means of the ratchet 59 and the vibrating link 60. One end of this link is connected to one arm of a bell crank lever (31, the other end of said lever being connected to a downwardly extending rod 62. The lower end of this rod is connected to the end of a crank 63 mounted on the end of the rock shaft As said shaft is rocked during the operation of the inking carriage the supply roller is intermittently rotated. It is obvious that when the bar 32 is raised to disconnect the carriage operating mechanism from the bridge operating mechanism the supply roll will not be operated. T his is desirable in order that the ink on the fountain cylinder may be evenly distributed thereon and evenly supplied to the inking rollers on the carriage.

From the foregoing it is manifest that I provide simple and eiiicient means for operating the inking roller carriage through the platen carrying bridge and the operating means therefor. It is also clear that by means of the various devices shown and described herein the various movements and functions of this type of printing press may be readily controlled.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, an impression platen, a bridge carrying said platen, rockers on said bridge, ways for said rockers, means for rocking the bridge on the ways for moving the platen to and away from the printing bed, and operating means for connecting the bridge to the inking roller carriage whereby the rocking of the bridge will move the inking roller carriage.

2. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, an impression platen, a bridge carrying said platen, rockers on said bridge, ways for said rockers, means for rocking the bridge on the ways for moving the platen to and away from the printing bed, an operating rod connected to the bridge and adapted to be moved vertically as the bridge is rocked, and operating means connecting the said rod to the inking roller carriage whereby the rocking of the bridge will move said carriage.

3. In a printing press the combination of an impression platen, a bridge carrying same, means for rocking said bridge to raise the inner face of said bridge and lower the outer face thereof, an inking roller carriage, and operative means connecting said carriage to the bridge whereby the rocking motion of the bridge will move the inking roller carriage, and means for disconnecting the bridge from the inking roller carriage whereby the said carriage may be held stationary during the operation of the bridge.

4. A printing press comprising an inking roller carriage, a bridge, a printing platen carried by said bridge, means for rocking the bridge for the printing operation. means operatively connecting the bridge to the inking roller carriage whereby said carriage will be moved for the inking operation by the vertical movement of a part of the bridge, and means for disconnecting the bridge from the inking roller carriage whereby the said carriage may be held stationary during the operation of the bridge.

5. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, a printing platen, a bridge carrying said platen, means for rocking said bridge, means for connectin the bridge to the inking roller carriage, wnereby the said carriage will be moved through the operation of the bridge, a thrmv-oli' mechanism connected to the bridge for rendering the printing platen inoperative, and a compensating means operated by said throw-oil mechanism and automatically maintaining the proper operative relation between the bridge and the carriage operating means.

3. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, a printing platen, a bridge carrying said platen, means for rocking said bridge, means for connecting the bridge to the inking roller carriage whereby the said carriage will be moved through the operation of the bridge, a thr-inv-olt mechanism connected to the bridge for rendering the printing platen inoperative, cams interposed between the bridge and said carriage operating mechanism, means connecting said cams to the throw-ofl mechanism whereby said cams will be moved by the throw-oil mechanism to automati cally compensate for the changed position of the bridge with respect to the carriage operating means.

7. A printing press comprising an inking roller carriage, a bridge, a printing platen carried by said bridge, means for rocking the bridge for the printing operation, means operatively connecting the bridge to the inking roller carriage whereby said carriage will be moved for the inking operation by the vertical movement of a part oi the. bridge, means "for disconnecting the bridge rocking means from the inking roller carriage whereby the said carriage may be held stationary during the operation of the bridge, an ink supply roll, and means for rotating said roll through the inking roller carriage moving means.

8. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, a printing platen, a bridge carrying said platen, means for rocking said bridge, a depending rod connected to said bridge, a crank arm connected to the lower end of said rod, means connecting said crank arm to the inking roller carriage whereby said carriage will be moved through the operation of the bridge, a throw-otf mechanism connected to the bridge, an eccentric interposed between the upper end of said rod and the bridge, and means connecting said eccentric t0 the throw-off mechanism to compensate for the changed position of the bridge with respect to the crank arm connected to the lower end of said rod.

9. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, a printing platen, a bridge carrying said platen, means for rocking said bridge, a depending rod, means whereby the upper end of said rod will move with the bridge, a crank arm connected to the lower end of said rod, means connecting said crank arm to the inking roller carriage whereby said carriage will be moved through the operation of the bridge, a throw-oil mechanism connected to 30 the bridge, an eccentric interposed between the upper end of said rod and the bridge, and means connecting said eccentric to the throw-oil mechanism to compensate for the ch: nged position of the bridge with respect 35 to the crank arm connected to the lower end of said rod.

10. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, a printing platen, a bridge carrying said platen, a depending rod, means whereby the upper end of said rod will more with the bridge,

a crank arm connected to the lower end of said rod, an operating bar connected to and moved through said crank, means con- 5 necting said operating bar to the inking roller carriage, and means for disconnecting said ope "ating bar from said carriage operating means.

11. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an, inking roller carriage, a printing platen, a bridge carrying said platen, a depending rod, means whereby the upper end of said rod will move with the bridge,

a crank arm connected to the lower end of said rod, an operating bar connected to and moved through said crank, a hook formed on the end of said operating bar, means engaged by said hook for operating the inking roller carriage, and means for disconnccting the said hook from the inking roller carriage operating means.

12. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, a printing platen, bridge carrying said platen, means for rocking said bridge, a crank arm connected to said carriage, means operatively connecting said crank arm to the bridge to move the carriage, and a carriage couliter-balancing weight interposed in said carriage moving means.

13. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, a printing platen, a bridge carrying said platen, a crank arm connected to said carriage, a pair of crank arms connected together and operating on the same center, one of said arms extending upwardly and the other extending downwardly, a carriage counter-balancing weight connected to said arms, means connecting the said upwardly extending crank arms to the carriage operating arm, and means connecting the said downwardly extending crank arm to the bridge.

14. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, a printing platen, a bridge carrying said platen, a crank arm connected to said carriage, a pair of crank arms connected together and operating on the same center, one of said arms extending upwardly and the other extending downwardly, a carriage counterbalancing weight connected to said arms, means connecting the said upwardly extending crank arm to the carriage operating arm, means connecting the said downwardly extending crank arm to the bridge, and means for disconnecting the said downwardly extending crank arm from the bridge.

15. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, an impression platen, a bridge carrying said platen, rockers on said bridge, substantially horizontal ways for said rockers, means for rocking the bridge on said ways and for moving it inwardly horizontally to complete the printing operation, an operating rod connected to the bridge said rod being in a vertical position when the bridge is near the end of its printing movement, whereby said rod will be raised slightly as the printing operation is completed, operative means connecting the operating rod with the inking roller carriage, and means for disconnecting the operating rod from the said carriage operating means.

16. In a printing press the combination of an impression platen, a bridge carrying same, means for rocking said bridge to raise the inner face of said bridge and lower the outer face thereof, an inking roller carriage, and operative means connecting said carriage to the bridge whereby the rocking motion of the bridge will move the inking roller carriage.

17. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, an impression platen, a bridge carrying said platen, rockers on said bridge, substantially horizontal ways for said rockers, means for rocking the bridge on said ways and for moving it inwardly horizontally to complete the printing operation, an operating rod connected to the bridge, an operating bar connected to the lower end of said rod, a hook formed on the inner end of said bar, and means engaged by said hook for operat ing the inking roller carriage.

18. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, an impression platen, a bridge carrying said platen, rockers on said bridge, substantially horizontal ways for said rockers, means for rocking the bridge on said ways and for moving it inwardly horizontally to complete the printing operation, an operating rod connected to the bridge, a crank arm connected to the lower end of said rod, an operating bar, a crank arm connected to one end of said bar and adapted to be moved through the operating rod, a hook formed on the inner end of the operating bar, and means engaged by said hook for operating the inking roller carriage.

19. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, an impression platen, a bridge carrying said platen, rockers on said bridge, substantially horizontal ways for said rockers, means for rocking the bridge on said ways and for moving it inwardly horizontally to complete the printing operation, an operating rod connected to the bridge and extending downwardly therefrom, an inking roller carriage, operating mechanism connecting the lower end of said rod to said carriage, the upper end of said rod being carried beyond the vertical line as the platen completes its printing operation whereby said rod will be slightly lifted as the impression platen is printing.

20. A printing press comprising a printing bed, an inking roller carriage, an im pression platen, a bridge carrying said platen, rockers on said bridge, substantially horizontal ways for said rockers, means for rocking the bridge on said ways and for moving it inwardly horizontally to complete the printing operation, an operating rod connected to the bridge, an operating bar connected to the lower end of said rod, a hook formed on the inner end of said bar, means engaged by said hook for operating the inking roller carriage, a throw-off mech anism connected to the bridge for rendering the printing platen inoperative, and a compensating means operated by said throw-off mechanism and automatically maintaining the proper operative relation between the bridge and the operating rod.

21. A printing press comprising an ink ing roller carriage, a bridge, a printing platen carried by said bridge, means for rocking the bridge for the printing operation, means for operatively connecting the bridge to the inking roller carriage, the means connecting the bridge to the inking roller carriage being independent of the means for rocking the bridge.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM J. RAMSAIER.

\Vitnesses:

F. R. MILLER, MINERVA VAN ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

